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Expression of MHC II Genes

  • Chapter
Molecular Analysis of B Lymphocyte Development and Activation

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 290))

Abstract

Innate and adaptive immunity are connected via antigen processing and presentation (APP), which results in the presentation of antigenic peptides to T cells in the complex with the major histocompatibility (MHC) determinants. MHC class II (MHC II) determinants present antigens to CD4+ T cells, which are the main regulators of the immune response. Their genes are transcribed from compact promoters that form first the MHC II enhanceosome, which contains DNA-bound activators and then the MHC II transcriptosome with the addition of the class II transactivator (CIITA). CIITA is the master regulator of MHC II transcription. It is expressed constitutively in dendritic cells (DC) and mature B cells and is inducible in most other cell types. Three isoforms of CIITA exist, depending on cell type and inducing signals. CIITA is regulated at the levels of transcription and post-translational modifications, which are still not very clear. Inappropriate immune responses are found in several diseases, including cancer and autoimmunity. Since CIITA regulates the expression of MHC II genes, it is involved directly in the regulation of the immune response. The knowledge of CIITA will facilitate the manipulation of the immune response and might contribute to the treatment of these diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Russell Medical Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA

    G. Drozina, J. Kohoutek & B. M. Peterlin

  2. Structural Immuno-Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, CNRS VMR 5089, 31400, Toulouse, France

    N. Jabrane-Ferrat

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  1. G. Drozina
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  2. J. Kohoutek
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  3. N. Jabrane-Ferrat
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  4. B. M. Peterlin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave. N112, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Harinder Singh

  2. Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Max-Plank-Institute of Immunobiology, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany

    Rudolf Grosschedl

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Drozina, G., Kohoutek, J., Jabrane-Ferrat, N., Peterlin, B.M. (2005). Expression of MHC II Genes. In: Singh, H., Grosschedl, R. (eds) Molecular Analysis of B Lymphocyte Development and Activation. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 290. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-26363-2_7

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